Lather dispenser



July 18, 1950 A, BOBR|K 2,515,328

LATHER DISPENSER Filed Aug. 12, 1946 l 9 LS fr /5 ggg il INVENTOR.

4er/he L 5052/4/ l 4 Vif/arp@ Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED )STATES P,,.i'lfENr-fA oFElcE-,I- l

LATHER nrsPENs'ER r v Arthu'tlobrick, Pasadena, Calif. Application August 12, 1946, Serial No. 690,054v

I seek to provide in this invention a lather gravity feed valve adapted to dispense soap in the formv of a lather instead of a liquid, in order to economize in the use of soap, as when used for washing the hands of a user.

It has been observed that in the use of liquid soap dispensers a person is prone to dispense soap onto his or her hands before moistening the hands or spreading the soap, after which water is applied from a faucet and tends to wash the soap away, because the liquid soap `is not readily apparent. In order, therefore, to eliminate waste, my improved dispenser is arranged to dispense a mixture of liquid soap and air in the form of a lather which will readily adhere to the hands and because of its bulk will be quite apparent and the tendency of a user would be to spread the lather over the hands before applying water to the hands. L l

In the use of liquid soap an anhydrous soap of approximately 15 per centum is usuallyrequired for providing satisfactory results, whereas a liquid soap of 10 per centum anhydrous content when dispensed in the form lof lather is more eicient than the 15 per centum soap in the form of liquid.

It is a primary object, therefore, to provide a lather making dispensing valve to which a liquid soap may be fed by gravity or otherwise and mixed with air for producing a lather, and means for dispensing quantities of the lather from the dispenser at each-operation. Other andk more detailed objects and results will be explained as the descriptio-n progresses.

In the accompanying drawing I havevshown a satisfactory type of dispenser for attaining the aforesaid results in which: v

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 arelongitudinal sectional views of the dispenser in which the dispensing elements are shown in different positions, as during different stages of an operation;l

Figs. 4 and 5y are transverse sectional views of the same, as viewed in opposite directions from the same plane in the directionsof arrows 4 4 and 5 5, respectively in Fig. 3; and v l Fig. 6 is a view of a dispenserembodying the elements of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but arranged to be fed by gravity from aliquid soap containen/ Briefly described, a dispenser embodying` my improvements includes a cylinder A in one .end of which a plunger B is slidable and vto the other end of which a head C is detachably connected. Head C is formed with a hexagonal wrench receiving end I, a reduced externally threaded portion! inwardly of portion I adapted to threadedly engage the adjacent end ofcylinder A, and a further'resfolairms. (o1. 29e- 33) duced axial extension 3. An annular` packing ring lavis carriedby head C,so,as to becompressed` between the cylinder A and portion I of head C, for providing aleak-proof joint. I

Head Cthreadedly receives a feed pipe D, asin Figs. 1, 2 and v3, through which a liquid soap is adapted to be fed by gravity or otherwise, froma container to a mixing ,chamber 4' of cylinder A between head C andplunger B.l A soap rreceiving cylinder E is ydetachably'carried -by head C and may project into passage of pipe D, as in Figs. l, 2 and 3 orinto a similar,passageor'chamber 5', as in Fig. 6. Cylinder vE has an end 6 in -which there is a port 'I for at times providing communication between passage 5 or 5 and a chamber 8 in cylinder E.v Port 'I is controlled by a needle valve F- having a seal 9 adapted at times to close port 'l and at times held away from port 'I by means of a helical spring IIljin chamber 8 of predetermined length insufficient when fully extended to position the valve on port '1. `Thespring I0 is mounted in a groove around the end vofthe valve at one end/.and at the other end in a groove around the end of a cylindrical stem 20, the valve, spring, and stem being held together by this construction. It will be noted that chamber 4 is much larger than chamber 8, and that the liquid soap sprayed into this large volume of air will be broken up efficiently to form lather,-the turbulencev being increased by the coils of vspring'G positioned in this space.` y

Plunger B has a finger piece II on its outer end, an O ring I2 inwardly of the forward end of cylinder Av and forming a seal, anda longitu-v dinal slot -I3=adapted 'to zbe engaged by a screw I3a for preventing rotation, but permitting reciprocation ofthe plungensaidlscrew being carried by cylinder A. Said,v plunger also has an axial bore I4 terminating at its inner end in a countersunk chambery I5 in the inner end face of the plunger `and in communication at its outer end with an outlet I6, lfrom which the lather is ejected when the plunger is operated. The plunger is `held normally extended from cylinder A, as in Fig. 1by means of amain spring G, adapted to be compressed between., the inner end ofthe plunger and portionZofhead C, however, a perforated disc I'I, anda nelymeshed screen I8 are mounted. inchamber 4 adjacent plunger B on cylindrical stem 20 in such-a manner that the tension of springG will urge the disc, screen and stem constantly against the plunger and also willurge .the 4plunger to extended posi--l tion.4 Disc` Il may hai/Vera radial slotili, whereby it par: be.,fm0u,r1ied 0h, .Stemrilterllteinved there from as by engagement with or detachment from an annular groove 22 in stem 20 while screen IB is held between spring G and disc II. Stem 20 extends axially through chamber 4 and a bore 23 of constant diameter in the inner portion 3 of head C which is a close sliding t with stem 20 and into valve chamber 8, where its end carries a disk 24 frictionally held on the rod and fitting freely in cylinder E. Thus, asplunger B is thrust inwardly by application of axial pressure to porftion II, spring G will be compressed and a mixture of liquid soap and air will be ejected from chamber 4 and through screen I8, perforations IIa of disc I'I, counterbore I5 and bore I4 .of the the dispenser therein shown is arranged tombeV adapted to a Wall type liquid soap dispenser, which includes a body=3ll adapted to support a vsoapfcontainerfI-I'lin inverted lposition so that tth-soap may ilow -by gravity from the -container througha passage3I into chamber 5 -of the dispenser, and in lieu of cylinder A said body has a cylindricarbore into which the dispenser may be'inserted and `from which it may `be removed ativill.y In thisfform ofil dispenser the r'head C' is of fslightly different Vform than'head'C of Figs. ,1,'2'and'3 for obvious reasons, but otherwise the structureand'operation are similar.

l In operation, as in Fig. '1,'y the valve F is rvun@ seatedflas described vin the inoperative position olfthe -device and the soap chamber 8 is filled with liquid soap and the stem (herein referred to fas a soap piston) is held outwardly (to the rig-ht) lby spring G, thereby-holding the disc 24 againstitsseat and preventing leakage of soap into chamber 4,'while the chamber 4-'is full of airVA sucked in through bore I4 when-plunger B returned to outward position. When the plunger Bl'isforced inwardly (to the left) the inner end ofthe plunger'engages the disc Il 'and forces stem"20 '(the soap piston) inwardly and unseats seal 24,4 compresses spring I0 in soap chamber Bfand forces valve-F into closing position over port-1. Thus,` no soapcan flow backwardly from chamber f8 iintopassage 5 or 5" but flows around discv 24 into thegspace behind it and of a volume equal to the Adiiference ybetween volume of chamber`8 and volumeof the stem 20 inserted in the chamber 8. When the plunger is releasedvsuch actioncreatesl pressure in chamber 8 and causes the' contents of said chamber to flow into chamber-4 -throughlbore v23 around piston rod 2,0.' The clearancefaround rod `2 is very slight .and the soap lis"forceol`through`bore 23 'at a high velocity and'issprayed into Achamber 4. Disc 24 acts as a piston since itsdiameter is but slightly less than that of v'chamber 8. Hence, as the liquid is forced around disc 24 'at 1a Ahigh velocity and impinges on the-sharpedges of the parts, thereby causing turbulence, and'iis broken up into globules, Vinasmuch as the pressure in chamber -8 is greater than that in chamber 4, or at any point ahead offsealor -piston'24'. Thus, under influence of the inwardly thrust and released plunger' B the soap is mixed with air `resident in chamber 4 and-is-expelled from chamber 4 lthrough screen I8 and periorations Ila of disc 1 into andfrom bore vI4 of the plunger for use. l Itis desirable if not'actually necessary tofexpel all of the soap and air from chamber 4 at each operation. For instance, as shown in Fig. 3,i t ,wi11,be ,observed .thatscreen I8, disc I1 and plunger B,"as "atthe yclose of anV operation, have 4 been inwardly moved to an extent whereat the spring G has been fully compressed and the screen is in abutment with the inner end of the head C.

Upon release of the pressure on the plunger when in its innermost position, the plunger will be restored to its outermost position by spring G and valve F will remain in closed position almost until the plunger has attained its outermost position. Thus, air is drawn into chamber 4 through bore I4 and outlet I6, perforations Y.Ila and screen I8. Some air, of course, may also .be drawn into chamber 8, and any lather remaining in bore I4 and counterbore I5 will be drawn intochamber 4.

It will'be observed that, instead of forcing air through a rliquid soap, I iirst break up the liquid into globules and then by forcing the liquid from chamber 8 in a tortuous or indirect path into chamber 4 in a then turbulent state, I further 'expel` the -mix'tureof soap and air through the finely 'meshedfscreen I8 and apertures Ila of disc Il into passage I4 in the form'of lather for dispensation Vthrough spout I6, at each operation of plunger B. It is'important for obtaining the best results toarrange screen I8 and perforatecl disc I1 substantially as shown, because the disposition ofthe perforations in the disc and the immediacy of the. screen and disc'as to position rtends to'increase turbulence by reason of the increasing velocity of `the mixture of soap and air through said felements. The area of the perforaticns Ila vis important and their size relative to the arear of rchamber' 4, the mesh of screen I 8 'and the area of passage III-may determine (and usually does) the quality and density of the dispensed material. The chamber I5 also is im portant for receiving the material dispensed from chamber 4 and wherein said latherous material isallowed (to expand'before its discharge into passage I4. x

A- decided advantage `of my dispensing valve over those heretofore known and used resides in the fact that I am enabled to'force the latherous mixture through the screen by movement of the plunger backwardly and forwardly without sole dependence on air pressure, thereby preventing clogging of the screen and a consequent impair ment ofv the dispenser.

It may also be noted that the structure is sirnple and may Vreadily be disassembled for any purpose, by first removing or loosening screw ISa so that plunger B may be withdrawn from cylinder A,thenunscrewing cylinder A from head C, compressingspring G sothat disc I'I and screen I8 may be removed from rod 20 and detaching head C 'from pipe 5 and cylinder E from head C. A unitmaybe as readily assembled -by reversing the above mentioned procedure.

Summarizing the aforesaid operations, I apply suitable pressureto a mixture of liquid and airyforce Ithe mixture through one or more small orifices, expand'the-mxture for creating turbulence and a more thorough mixture of soap and air, whereby to provide an aerated soapr in the form of a lather for use uponeach inward stroke of the plunger, while upon each outward (return) stroke ofthe plunger, .all resident lather and soap in passage I4 and spout I6 are drawn back' into Achamber 4, thereby cleansing screen I8 at each operation and preventing the clogging thereof before the lather and soap can dry.

I claim:

y1.,Alather `dispenser including: a body containingfa liquid'soap y'chamber' and an air chamber of greater volumetric capacity than the soap chamber, a plunger having an unobstructed outlet conduit therein and slidable in said body, a stem of constant diameter actuated by inward movement of the plunger and slidable in both the soap chamber and air chamber, a valve controlling the flow of liquid soap into the soap chamber and closed by the inward movement of the stem of constant diameter, a wall dividing the soap from the air chamber and provided with a bore of constant diameter for the passage of the stem,

a restricted annular passage for the liquid soap between the inner surface of the bore and the surface of the stem, spring means arranged in said air chamber to urge the plunger outwardly of the body; and foraminous means positioned between the plunger and air chamber so that liquid soap discharged from the liquid soap chamber at high velocity through the restricted annular space on inward movement of the plunger is sprayed into said air chamber and mixed with air to form lather and forced through said foraminous means to form finer lather before entering the conduit in said plunger for discharge therefrom.

2. A lather dispenser including: a body containing a liquid soap chamber and an air chamber of greater volumetric capacity than the soap chamber, a plunger having an unobstructed outlet conduit therein and slidable in said body, a stem of constant diameter actuated by inward movement of the plunger and slidable in both the soap chamber and air chamber, a valve controlling the ow of liquid soap into the soap chamber and closed by the inward movement of the stem, a spring secured at one end to the valve and at the other end to said stem and of such a length when relaxed as to hold the valve off its seat but closing said valve on the inward movement of the stem; a wall dividing the soap from the air chamber and provided with a bore of constant diameter for the passage of the stem a restricted annular passage for the liquid soap between the inner surface of the bore and the surface of the stem, spring means arranged in said air chamber to urge the outlet conduit in the plunger outwardly of the body; and foraminous means positioned between the plunger and air chamber so that liquid soap discharged from the liquid soap chamber at high velocity through the restricted annular space on inward movement of the plunger is sprayed into said air chamber and mixed with air to form lather and forced through said foraminous means to form finer lather before entering the outlet conduit in said plunger for discharge therefrom.

3. A lather dispenser including: a body containing a liquid soap chamber and an air chamber of greater volumetric capacity than the soap chamber, a plunger having an unobstructed outlet conduit therein and slidable in said body, a stem of constant diameter actuated by inward movement of the plunger and slidable in both the soap chamber and air chamber, a valve controlling the ilo'w of liquid soap into the soap chamber and closed by the inward movement of the stem, a wall dividing the soap from the air chamber provided with a bore of constant diameter for the passage of the stem a restricted annular passage for the liquid soap between the inner surface of the bore and the surface of the stem, spring means arranged in said air chamber to urge the plunger outwardly of the body; an apertured member secured at the outer end of the stem and transmitting inward movement of the plunger to the piston rod; a relatively fine mesh screen supported on said apertured member; a chamber formed in the inner end face of said plunger and into which opens the outlet conduit in the plunger to pass lather forced through said screen and apertured member to the outlet conduit in the plunger so that liquid soap discharged from the liquid soap chamber at high velocity through the restricted annular space on inward movement of the plunger is sprayed into said air chamber and mixed with air to form lather and forced through said screen and apertured member to form finer lather before entering said outlet conduit for discharge therefrom.

ARTHUR L. BOBRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 605,929 Smead June 21, 1898 1,537,552 Rotunno May 12, 1925 2,139,735 Dobkin Dec. 13, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 200.855 Great Britain July 26, 1923 

